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A white crystalline nitrogenous substance obtained by the action of dilute sulphuric acid on silk gelatin.

Pertaining to, or resembling, a goose, or the skin of a goose.

An alkaloid found in the Calabar bean, and the seed of Physostigma venenosum; physostigmine. It is used in ophthalmic surgery for its effect in contracting the pupil.

Of or pertaining to the Passeres. The columbine, gallinaceous, and passerine tribes people the fruit trees. Sydney Smith.

Characterized by unequal toes, three turned forward and one backward, as in most passerine birds.

One of the Eurylaimidæ, a family of East Indian passerine birds.

A division of passerine birds in which the vocal muscles are but little developed, so that they lack the power of singing.

A group of passerine birds, including the creepers and nuthatches.

Having a toothed bill; -- applied to a group of passerine birds, having the bill notched, and feeding chiefly on insects, as the shrikes and vireos. See Illust. (N) under Beak.

A passerine bird of the family Dicruridæ. They are usually black with a deeply forked tail. They are natives of Asia, Africa, and Australia; -- called also drongo shrikes.

One of several Asiatic and East Indian passerine birds, belonging to Enucurus, and allied genera. The tail is deeply forking.

Any one of several species of long-tailed, passerine birds of the genus Momotus, having a strong serrated beak. In most of the species the two long middle tail feathers are racket-shaped at the tip, when mature. The bird itself is said by some writers to trim them into this shape. They feed on insects, reptiles, and fr…

Having a separate and simple tendon to flex the first toe, or hallux, as do passerine birds.

Having few or imperfect syringeal muscles; -- said of some passerine birds (Oligomyodi).

and the hippopotamus. The term is also sometimes applied to the bears, and to certain passerine birds.

A small crested passerine bird (Phaïnopepla nitens), native of Mexico and the Southern United States. The adult male is of a uniform glossy blue-black; the female is brownish. Called also black flycatcher.

extracted as a white, tasteless, substance, amorphous or crystalline; -- formerly called eserine, with which it was regarded as identical.

An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull. [Slang] Blue pigeon (Zoöl.), an Australian passerine bird (Graucalus melanops); -- called also black-faced crow. -- Green pigeon (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of Old World pigeons belonging to the family Treronidæ. -- Imperial pigeon (Zoöl.), any one of the large Asia…

lineolaris, which damages wheat and trees. -- Plant cutter (Zoöl.), a South American passerine bird of the genus Phytotoma, family Phytotomidæ. It has a serrated bill with which it cuts off the young shoots and buds of plants, often doing much injury. -- Plant louse (Zoöl.), any small hemipterous insect which infest…

Any one of numerous species of small passerine birds native of tropical America. See Banana quit, under Banana, and Guitguit.